Automatic gate for mine elevator-shafts.



M. W. HARVEY.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR MINE ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.15, 1912-.

' 1,055,683, Patented Mar. 11,1913.

2 BHBETSSHEET 1.

. HARVEY.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR MINE ELEVATOR SHAFTS Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

APPLICATION FILED APB.15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MILLSOME W. HARVEY, OF SYKESVILLE, FENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR MINE ELEVATOR-SHAFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Rial. 11, 1913. I

Application filed April 15, 1912. Serial No. 691,001.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MILLSOME' N. IIART VEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sykesville, in the county of Jefferson, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gates for Mine Elevator-Shafts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in mine elevator shafts, and has particular reference to a device for automatically opening the gate, by means of the elevator, when the same reaches the landing.

One object of the invention is to provide a fluid actuated means, which will be quickly opened upon operation of the controlling device, to raise the gate, said gate being permitted to slowly settle into place, by a regulating means.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the following description and with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the main elevator shaft showing my invention applied, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the ressure chest, Fig. 3 is a View similar to certain of the parts being shown in section, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the pressure cylinder for raising the gate. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the elevator shaft.

Referring particularly tothe drawings, 10 represents the mine elevator shaft, in which travels the elevator cage 11. Located at the landing of the shaft is a chest 12, having the pipe 13 leading into the upward central portion thereof, which is connectedto the supply of fluid under pressure as indicated at 14.' Disposed at one side of the gate-way 15 of the elevator shaft is a vertically disposed pressure cylinder 16, in which is slidably arranged the arm 17 of a yoke 18, the arm 19 of said yoke having secured theretothe ate 20. Leading into the bottom of the cy inder 16, and communicating at 21 with the chest 12 is a pressure conveying pipe 22. The pipe 22 is connected to the bottom of the chest, and at a suitable distance therefrom is conig, 1 showing the gate opened,

nected another pipe 23, having on its outer end a controlling valve 24 which end of the pipe is open to the atmosphere. In the chest is a slide valve 25, having a concavity 26' in its bottom, said valve being slidable over the openings in which the pipes 22 and 23 are attached. Mounted on the side of the shaft is a trip 27 which consists of a pair of links 28 pivoted together at their inner endsand at their outer ends pivotally attached to the elevator shaft.

The valve 25 has a piston rod 30, suitably attached at one end thereto, the opposite end of the rod being pivotally connected to the link 28, a suitable coil spring 31-encircling the pistonrod between the said link and the end of the chest. This spring has a normal tendency to hold the valve in one limit of its movement, and to also hold the links extended into the path of the car or mine cage to be tripped thereby, when the same descends the shaft.

In the operation of the device, a constant pressure of compressed fluid 'flows from the supply into the chest, and the valve is in the position as shown in Fig. 1. Whenthe elevator cage is near the bottom of the shaft, the cage engages with the links 28 and pushes them inwardly which forces the valve to the opposite limit of its movement, thus uncovering the opening leading to the pipe 22, and permittingthe fluid under pressure to pass from the chest through said pipe and into the cylinder 16. This pressure of the fluid raises the piston in the cylinder, and lifts the gate so that the gateway 15 is open, to permitthe passage of the coal car on to the cage. When the cage has ascended above the trip the spring will and pull the valve into its normal position as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. This position, 7

the gate assisting in forcing the air out. To

have a tendency to force the trip outwardly regulate the speed at which the gate shall 7 7 drop, the valve 24 is opened or closed to the proper degree, thus permitting the air to escape rapidly or slowly and the gate to drop quickly or settle slowly-as desired.

What is claimed is: g 1. An automati gate for an elevator shaft the elevator car, said trip comprising piv- Y tions to thecylinder whereby the air from the cylinder will escape to the atmosphere.

comprising a pressure cylinder, a yoke having one arm disposed n the cylinder and rod between the links and the chest, com- .ing one arm disposed 1n the cylinder and otally connected links projecting in the path of the elevator car, a pistonrod on the val-ve connected to said links,a coil spring on'the nections between the chest and the cylinder, a pipe in the chest leading to the atmosphele, said valve having a concavity nor mally covering the outlet and the connec- 2. An automatic gate for an elevator shaft comprising a pressure cylinder, a yoke havforming a piston,a gate, the other arm of the yoke being secured to the gate, asource the chest, a trip valve connected to said links, a coil 7 of supp1y of fluid under pressure, a chest Looaeee connected to said supply, a slide valve in adapted to be engaged by the elevator car, said trip comprising pivotally connected links pro ecting in the path of the elevator car, a piston rod on the I spring on the rod between the links and the chest, connections between the chest and the cylinder, a pipe in the chest leading to the atmosphere, said valve having a concavity normally covering the outlet and the con nections to the cylinder whereby the air from the cylinder will escape to the atmosphere, and avalve in the pipe leading to the atmosphere for controlling the exhaust of the fluid, whereby the closing speed of the gate is regulated.

In testimony whereof, Iafiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MILLSOME W. HARVEY. 

